Conflict photographer Kate Brooks turns her lens from the war zones she is used to covering to a new kind of genocide- the killing of African Elephants and Rhinos- in this sweeping and sobering expose of an underreported crisis. As the single-digit population of Northern White Rhinoceros ticks closer to zero, Brooks outlines the myriad factors contributing to the current epidemic of highly effective poaching and trafficking syndicates, drawing startling connections between the illegal wildlife trade and international terrorism and border security. But all is not yet lost- at the same time, Brooks documents the heroic efforts of conservationists, park rangers, and scientists to protect these animals on the verge of extinction in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. The result is a potent plea for worldwide attention and action to combat the permanent loss of these majestic creatures.

—Deborah Rudolph